How to get at bats for top prospects

Acuna Matata · 08-25-2018, 05:50 PM

Just wanted to ask for some ideas how to ensure my minor league prospects get enough at bats to help them develop.
Ive noticed that at times i may have, for example, four shortstops with good potential at one of the minor league levels and this causes an issue with getting them enough playing time to allow them to improve.
At the minute im solving this by utilising my depth chart and playing the secondary shortstop every three four or days. I could also use the second and third shortstop in the lineup and depth chart to face opposite handed pitching. This works to a point but can end up halving the number of at bats the players get each season so will affect the pace of their development.

Lastly i have also taken the option to create additional leagues at certain minor league levels to provide me with another team in my organisation to use to provide the at bats im looking for. The negative impact of this seems to be that by creating these additional leagues then the number of draft rounds set each year has increased to over seventy. Im guessing this is to ensure that the leagues dont run short of players over time. Unfortunately i am getting tired of having to scan my lowest level teams post draft to release all the automatically selected dross that has been drafted after i have completed my manual selections from the draft.

Any cleaner and more hassle free solutions would be most welcome

RchW · 08-25-2018, 06:52 PM

Not all of them must play SS. Perhaps drafting and acquisition strategy should be re-examined.

Silfir · 08-25-2018, 10:27 PM

Infielders with decent fielding ratings are usually designated SS by the AI (similarly, outfielders with good Range are generally designated CF), but that doesn't mean that's their only or even best position - it's just that it's the most difficult, and therefore most valuable infield position. Just have a look at their fielding ratings to see where they can play; if the fielding ratings are compatible position experience accumulates quickly.

The AI doesn't really understand this, however - you may have to manually insert them into these positions for a little while, so the AI manager takes notice of them as an option in that position.

In your four shortstops example, you make no mention of what was going on with second base or third base, for example. Any player with suitable ratings for shortstop can play anywhere on the infield. Or DH, or first base - literally anyone can play first base. As long as they're getting at-bats, it doesn't really matter where they play during defense, after all.

battists · 08-26-2018, 05:54 PM

The other easy option you have is to "force start" a player at a certain position. I know a lot of people who do this with the handful of minor leaguers they care about, then leave the rest of the minors up to the AI.

The option is on the Strategy tab.

Timofmars · 08-28-2018, 01:49 AM

Besides playing each player in a different position including DH, you could offer a bunch of them in a package deal trade for one single better prospect.

Also check how likely each is to reach their potential. You may have an older prospect with a long way to go in a rating category. I try to trade these guys for someone more promising as early as I can identify them, because the AI seems to devalue them also the more apparent it becomes that they won't reach their potential. That's why sometimes you can acquire seemly high potential prospects from the AI for little, because they way behind on their development progress

TGH-Adfabre · 08-28-2018, 08:13 AM

I would rather have a player up or down a level and getting playing time than sitting at a level. If I have a few talented players at a position and that looks like their correct position I will move them to another level and force start them. Once they hit AA and AAA I am grooming them for the ML roster. This is where I will choose another position for them if I have too many SS or CF to start in the majors together.

BaseballGoodToMe · 08-28-2018, 02:58 PM

Weakest arm goes to 2B or 1B, strongest arm goes to 3B(or highest turn DP stays at short).

NoOne · 08-29-2018, 11:46 PM

immediately after the draft, i go to 'rosters and transactions' then the 'recent transactions' tab... it lists all my draftees per round. i click the batters, assess their defensive ability and set a position, regardless of whatever they were drafted as. i have an idea when i draft them of course, but for playing time and other reasons i will cross-train too.

if they aren't good, i'm not spending much time on them, but i do set their 'best' position. i don't worry so much if they play out of position. if anything, this only affects morale -- 'role on team' etc... if not a prospect, i simply don't care that much. the ai will change their posisiton if pitching <-> fielding or sp <->rp, but i don't think it will change it if a "3b" is playing 2b.

it's good to do it with all of them, initially.

player's can improve defense and i don't think it's entirely TCR. so, if you want them to be a SS and hope they will improve, it's best they play SS so those attributes improve (they need it all, and at 2b maybe arm doesn't improve as well, since you don't work on it as much since it isn't as important at 2b?? guessing)

but, when i see OF range drops, it seems to be at RF more so than other spots in my MiL system... maybe just because they already tend to be borderline 1/2 scale-ish types in my system, though.

fairly certain height/weight proportions do influence defensive ratings changing over time too. manual may even confirm that? at 1b, height directly impacts "1B defensive rating" -- that you can see 100% with trial and error in editor.

08-25-2018, 05:50 PM	#1
Acuna Matata Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Jul 2018 Posts: 32	How to get at bats for top prospects Just wanted to ask for some ideas how to ensure my minor league prospects get enough at bats to help them develop. Ive noticed that at times i may have, for example, four shortstops with good potential at one of the minor league levels and this causes an issue with getting them enough playing time to allow them to improve. At the minute im solving this by utilising my depth chart and playing the secondary shortstop every three four or days. I could also use the second and third shortstop in the lineup and depth chart to face opposite handed pitching. This works to a point but can end up halving the number of at bats the players get each season so will affect the pace of their development. Lastly i have also taken the option to create additional leagues at certain minor league levels to provide me with another team in my organisation to use to provide the at bats im looking for. The negative impact of this seems to be that by creating these additional leagues then the number of draft rounds set each year has increased to over seventy. Im guessing this is to ensure that the leagues dont run short of players over time. Unfortunately i am getting tired of having to scan my lowest level teams post draft to release all the automatically selected dross that has been drafted after i have completed my manual selections from the draft. Any cleaner and more hassle free solutions would be most welcome

08-25-2018, 06:52 PM	#2
RchW Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The big smoke Posts: 15,628	Not all of them must play SS. Perhaps drafting and acquisition strategy should be re-examined. __________________ Cheers RichW If you’re looking for a good cause to donate money to please consider a Donation to Parkinson’s Canada. It may help me have a better future and if not me, someone else. Thanks. “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition …There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect.” Frank Wilhoit

08-25-2018, 10:27 PM	#3
Silfir Minors (Double A) Join Date: May 2016 Posts: 138	Infielders with decent fielding ratings are usually designated SS by the AI (similarly, outfielders with good Range are generally designated CF), but that doesn't mean that's their only or even best position - it's just that it's the most difficult, and therefore most valuable infield position. Just have a look at their fielding ratings to see where they can play; if the fielding ratings are compatible position experience accumulates quickly. The AI doesn't really understand this, however - you may have to manually insert them into these positions for a little while, so the AI manager takes notice of them as an option in that position. In your four shortstops example, you make no mention of what was going on with second base or third base, for example. Any player with suitable ratings for shortstop can play anywhere on the infield. Or DH, or first base - literally anyone can play first base. As long as they're getting at-bats, it doesn't really matter where they play during defense, after all. Last edited by Silfir; 08-25-2018 at 10:32 PM.

08-26-2018, 05:54 PM	#4
battists Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 18,506 Blog Entries: 7	The other easy option you have is to "force start" a player at a certain position. I know a lot of people who do this with the handful of minor leaguers they care about, then leave the rest of the minors up to the AI. The option is on the Strategy tab. __________________ Come check out my dynasty report, Funky Times!

08-28-2018, 08:13 AM	#6
TGH-Adfabre Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2,599	I would rather have a player up or down a level and getting playing time than sitting at a level. If I have a few talented players at a position and that looks like their correct position I will move them to another level and force start them. Once they hit AA and AAA I am grooming them for the ML roster. This is where I will choose another position for them if I have too many SS or CF to start in the majors together. __________________ You mock me, therefore I am My wife

08-28-2018, 01:49 AM	#5
Timofmars Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 251	Besides playing each player in a different position including DH, you could offer a bunch of them in a package deal trade for one single better prospect. Also check how likely each is to reach their potential. You may have an older prospect with a long way to go in a rating category. I try to trade these guys for someone more promising as early as I can identify them, because the AI seems to devalue them also the more apparent it becomes that they won't reach their potential. That's why sometimes you can acquire seemly high potential prospects from the AI for little, because they way behind on their development progress

08-28-2018, 02:58 PM	#7
BaseballGoodToMe Minors (Single A) Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 97	Weakest arm goes to 2B or 1B, strongest arm goes to 3B(or highest turn DP stays at short).

08-29-2018, 11:46 PM	#8
NoOne Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 7,167	immediately after the draft, i go to 'rosters and transactions' then the 'recent transactions' tab... it lists all my draftees per round. i click the batters, assess their defensive ability and set a position, regardless of whatever they were drafted as. i have an idea when i draft them of course, but for playing time and other reasons i will cross-train too. if they aren't good, i'm not spending much time on them, but i do set their 'best' position. i don't worry so much if they play out of position. if anything, this only affects morale -- 'role on team' etc... if not a prospect, i simply don't care that much. the ai will change their posisiton if pitching <-> fielding or sp <->rp, but i don't think it will change it if a "3b" is playing 2b. it's good to do it with all of them, initially. player's can improve defense and i don't think it's entirely TCR. so, if you want them to be a SS and hope they will improve, it's best they play SS so those attributes improve (they need it all, and at 2b maybe arm doesn't improve as well, since you don't work on it as much since it isn't as important at 2b?? guessing) but, when i see OF range drops, it seems to be at RF more so than other spots in my MiL system... maybe just because they already tend to be borderline 1/2 scale-ish types in my system, though. fairly certain height/weight proportions do influence defensive ratings changing over time too. manual may even confirm that? at 1b, height directly impacts "1B defensive rating" -- that you can see 100% with trial and error in editor.